Overview
- The MLBPA formally presented its draft proposal on Tuesday, keeping a 20‑round format, restoring the June timing, and adding college sophomores to eligibility while preserving high school and junior‑college access.
- The union would keep soft‑slot negotiations for signing bonuses, raise overall bonus pools, ease penalties for exceeding pools so teams can go up to 15% overage before losing first‑round picks, and add targeted bonus boosts for lower‑revenue clubs.
- For the first time beyond competitive‑balance selections the MLBPA would permit trading any pick in the first 10 rounds up to two hours before the draft, with limits on how many early picks a club can acquire.
- Owners want a 12‑round, age‑restricted draft and a hard salary cap while players oppose a cap outright, leaving the two sides sharply divided on core economic rules that govern pay and roster building.
- With the current CBA expiring Dec. 1, the dispute over the draft is now a major bargaining flashpoint that could halt offseason deals, reshape how quickly draftees reach arbitration and free agency, and increase the risk of a management lockout.